this post was submitted on 15 May 2025
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No Stupid Questions

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I mean, just declare a republic ffs.

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[–] T156@lemmy.world 2 points 22 minutes ago

Because it's not a small thing to change. You're basically overhauling everything if you wish to transition from a monarchy to a republic, because it's rooted in everything.

The names of the governmental positions, and possibly their responsibilities would need to change, as would official documentation, the money, the flag, the national anthem...

You could hardly call yourself a republic if your passports are still carry the authority of the monarch, and your national anthem prominently features the King.

It only gets more complicated if you're a former colonial power, since they may also be affected, and have to change everything as well. If the UK decides to ditch the Monarchy and become a Republic, Australia and Canada would need to follow suit, since it would be silly for them to have references to a monarch that no longer exists, or a GG who's meant to be representative for a position that no longer exists.

Either that, or there will be a political/legal headache deciding whether they become the new inheritors of the monarchy, since the parent is gone, or would they be also need to make the same changes (see above).

[–] DragonTypeWyvern@midwest.social 5 points 2 hours ago

These comments are proof that Robespierre didn't go far enough.

[–] SoftestSapphic@lemmy.world 3 points 2 hours ago (1 children)

Because some people never grow up and still want a daddy/authority figure to tell them how to live.

That's why orginized religion or other authoritarian fetishes exist.

[–] throwawayacc0430@sh.itjust.works 1 points 2 hours ago* (last edited 2 hours ago) (2 children)

That reminds me:

What the fuck does a "Pope" do? (rhetorical question)

They don't even have a country to ceremonially rule over 🤣

[–] spittingimage@lemmy.world 3 points 1 hour ago

Now I really want to answer your rhetorical question, because you've badly misunderstood how popes work.

[–] mg2130@lemm.ee 3 points 1 hour ago

You realize The Vatican is a city-state right? Like a country.

[–] spittingimage@lemmy.world 2 points 1 hour ago (1 children)

Monarchs are like cardboard boxes. Someday they'll be useful again, you just know it.

[–] throwawayacc0430@sh.itjust.works 2 points 1 hour ago (1 children)

Instructions unclear, accidentally placed a cat on top of King Charles III

[–] spittingimage@lemmy.world 3 points 1 hour ago

See? I knew we'd find a use for him.

[–] theywilleatthestars@lemmy.world 3 points 2 hours ago

Keeps the conservatives somewhat placated.

[–] mastertigurius@lemmy.world 7 points 8 hours ago

A lot of good points here about pros and cons when considering republic vs constitutional monarchy. I was myself against the idea of monarchy for quite a while, but I realize it's mostly because I was living in the UK at the time and was exposed to how normal people are treated compared to the upper class. In addition, though the British royal family doesn't have any power on paper, they have vast connections in all parts of the government and private sector with many ways to influence things. Also, the UK was until recently a two party state, which meant almost total power to whichever party won the election.

Scandinavia doesn't have as much of a disparity between social classes (even counting royals), and what I see here is that the monarchy provides a stability and continuity that we wouldn't get with a republic. Anyone can lie, cheat and bribe their way to getting elected president, but when you have a dozen different parties with different policies passing laws with a monarch as an anchor, it works out pretty well.

[–] HobbitFoot@thelemmy.club 11 points 9 hours ago

Most constitutional monarchies got that way due to incremental change generally caused by political crises. Switching from a monarchy to a republic usually done as a response to one of these crises; no crisis usually means the monarch keeps the crown.

You also have an issue of what to replace the monarch with. Most constitutional monarchies have parliamentary systems of government where the legislature has supremacy. However, you still need a supreme executive to run a government when the legislature fails. The process of picking that person is very politically important and had inherent risks to it. For some countries, keeping the monarch as the on/off switch is easier than dealing with the headache of choosing a President.

[–] dwindling7373@feddit.it 9 points 9 hours ago

Damn out of 90 comments I read only a couple that made any sense.

It's because it's a complex legal transition to g othrough, because laws are a dumb series of words that's usually tied to the whateverness the highest for of power is.

It's still objectively odious to grant birth based rights or role to certain people over others.

The only practical positive I can see is that it's such a dumb system that it can be fromally abused to enforce a certain degree of stability when the proper democratic process go and fuck itself, but 1) there's other ways 2) at that point the crown storically sides with the degenerates (becaue power by birthrights is a degenerate concept after all).

[–] daniskarma@lemmy.dbzer0.com 5 points 9 hours ago (1 children)

Not going into civil war. Basically that's it.

Democracy but don't destroy previous institution because some people would actually go to war over that.

I think eventually they all will fall. When people just stop seeing the point.

[–] SoftestSapphic@lemmy.world 1 points 2 hours ago

There's never been a coherent point

These people have to tune into Fox every night before learning what today's opinions will be.

[–] FaceDeer@fedia.io 44 points 14 hours ago

It's like your country is wearing a fancy hat. The hat is not practical, it doesn't help you do things, but boy does it look neat. It's not all that expensive, so why not? Lots of countries have big monuments, historic buildings for their legislatures to be in and so forth, this is just that in human form.

[–] Nemo@slrpnk.net 9 points 11 hours ago (2 children)

The point of a constitutional monarchy is to transition away from an absolute monarchy towards a republic.

[–] Mysteriarch@slrpnk.net 7 points 8 hours ago

It's not though. It could be the point in some cases. But often enough, constitutions have been granted as concessions from the sovereign to whatever group was putting up pressure, often the nobility, who had no further intent to introduce a republic or democracy or whatever else. Just looking out for their own interests.

[–] leftzero@lemmynsfw.com 3 points 8 hours ago (1 children)

No, the point is to prevent real democracy by being “democratic enough”.

[–] Nemo@slrpnk.net 0 points 3 hours ago (3 children)

Who would want "real democracy"? Have you met people? They're terrible.

[–] throwawayacc0430@sh.itjust.works 4 points 2 hours ago (1 children)

Have you met people? They’re terrible.

Um... That's how the United States of America got the Senate and infamous Electoral College.

Are you saying you are in favor of the Electoral College of the US, and State Legislatures appointing US Senators?

[–] Nemo@slrpnk.net -1 points 2 hours ago

Electoral College yes, in favor

Senators appointed by legislature no, not in favor

Don't get me wrong, I'm in favor of Electoral College reform. I think in particular unbinding electors is necessary, as is doing away with the "winner-take-all" distribution of electors. And while uncapping the House isn't EC reform per se, doing so would make a drastic improvement to how representative the EC would be. These three things would fix most of the problems with the EC, ranked-choice voting or similar would take care of the rest.

[–] DragonTypeWyvern@midwest.social 3 points 2 hours ago (1 children)

that you weren't instantly permabanned from slrpnk for saying this

[–] Nemo@slrpnk.net -1 points 2 hours ago (1 children)

You mean the instance that hosts the "not voting" community? I think I'll be fine.

[–] DragonTypeWyvern@midwest.social 0 points 2 hours ago

"in your election", for moral abstainers and non-citizens. Not an anti-democracy sub.

[–] BlameThePeacock@lemmy.ca 42 points 15 hours ago

There are stabilizing benefits in some cases. Traditions can be valuable, even just for show.

[–] SaltSong@startrek.website 8 points 11 hours ago (5 children)

A constitutional monarch may have a wide range of powers, depending on the constitution. It doesn't automatically mean "powerless figurehead."

Given the way the US has been recently, I'm willing to admit that there may be some benefit to having a leader in some position of power that had been there a long time, and has, more or less, been training for the responsibly since birth.

Of course, there are plenty of arguments against such a leader, but the least of which is how much you have to stretch the word "training" to make it fit that sentence above.

[–] DragonTypeWyvern@midwest.social 2 points 2 hours ago* (last edited 2 hours ago)

Italy was a constitutional monarchy under fascist rule. Victor Emmanuel III was famously told by his generals that they could stop the March on Rome and chose not to because he thought Mussolini would bring him more personal power and conquests for Italy.

Tl;Dr (all of history) your second paragraph is something only ignorant bootlickers say, so maybe don't yield rhetorical ground that you don't need to

[–] sanguinepar@lemmy.world 5 points 7 hours ago (1 children)

Given the way the US has been recently, I'm willing to admit that there may be some benefit to having a leader in some position of power that had been there a long time, and has, more or less, been training for the responsibly since birth.

That's an argument I've often heard, in favour of monarchy - "Would you prefer a President Blair/Johnson/Farage?"

It's a fair point, but they never have an answer for what would happen with a King Blair/Johnson/Farage.

With a president (or any other democratic system) you can, at least in theory, have a say in who represents the country. As it is we in the UK are stuck with a mind-meltingly wealthy, influential and unaccountable family who have extremely questionable members and histories.

They influence laws to benefit their own ends, they shield abusive behaviour and individuals, and they do it all in the name of maintaining a tradition that fundamentally says that some people are simply "better" than others.

Monarchy is just repugnant to me - and not just the British Monarchy, the whole concept.

[–] SaltSong@startrek.website 1 points 6 hours ago* (last edited 6 hours ago)

The reason one has a constitutional monarchy is to try to split the difference, I think, and get the best parts of each system.

But I'm with you. No kings.

As it is we in the UK are stuck with a mind-meltingly wealthy, influential and unaccountable family who have extremely questionable members and histories.

They influence laws to benefit their own ends, they shield abusive behaviour and individuals, and they do it all in the name of maintaining a tradition that fundamentally says that some people are simply “better” than others.

We have these too. Is just that they are more unofficial.

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[–] slazer2au@lemmy.world 29 points 15 hours ago (3 children)

Think of them as prestigious diplomats.

Sounds way better when you say "I had a meeting with the king of The Netherlands recently" compares to "I had a meeting with the High Commissioner of The Netherlands recently "

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[–] MudMan@fedia.io 21 points 15 hours ago (1 children)

Because conservatives would go to the culture war trenches over it and it's a cheap, simple concession that literally does not matter.

You give them a royal family as a chew toy and ideally pass non-reactionary, non-anachronistic stuff elsewhere.

[–] rumschlumpel@feddit.org 16 points 14 hours ago (6 children)

it’s a cheap, simple concession

Depends. AFAIK the English monarchy is fairly expensive.

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